Head slams one-day ton then told to prioritise Test prep

Travis Head sent a strong reminder he remains one of the most in-from fifty-over batters Australia boasts with a sparkling century for Australia A in Colombo today.

And Australia's selectors sent a message right back that he should prioritise red-ball cricket for the immediate future, opting to leave him with the 'A' squad to play first-class cricket against Sri Lanka A while the one-day side begins its ODI series against the host nation.

Head's 110 from 86 helped Australia A to 312, a total that was chased down by Sri Lanka A with seven balls to spare in a four-wicket win that squared the two-game List A series at 1-1.

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Head had opened for Australia in their three-match ODI series with Pakistan when David Warner was rested from the white-ball component of the tour, and finished the series as the team's second highest scorer.

But with Warner back and a full-strength batting unit to pick from, Australia's selectors have deemed Head – who had been named in both the ODI and Australia A squads for the overlapping tour – surplus to requirements.

Soon after Head had posted his 11th List A century, word came through from Cricket Australia that Head would remain with the A squad as they head south to Hambantota and will play in the four-day, first-class match starting June 14.

The same day at the Pallekelle Stadium outside Kandy in the island's centre, Australia will meet Sri Lanka in the first ODI.

The news would hardly have come as a surprise to Head, who had expected as much given Warner's return.

"I'm realistic in that Davey (Warner) and Finchy are back together at the top of the order, and then you've got a middle-order that's so set in that side, it's a hard one to get into," Head told cricket.com.au prior to flying out to Sri Lanka.

"I'm probably the unfortunate one who's just out of that ODI starting XI, but it's great to be back in the squad and I hope I've been able to force the selectors hand a bit over the last 18 months or so with domestic form and then in Pakistan.

"I'll try to keep banging the door down, and that's all you can really do."

Today's ton was his third in 50-over cricket since the start of the Australian summer, and his past 12 months in the format, including a stint last winter in England, have yielded 897 runs at 59.80.

Head started Friday's List A match like he was playing a 20-over fixture as he and opening partner Josh Philippe raced out of the blocks to put on 85 in the first 10 overs at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.

Philippe, playing some textbook straight drives including an exquisite on-driven six, departed for 34 but Head powered on bring up his century from just 76 balls, having pummelled 14 boundaries and two huge sixes, his 11th List A century.

After he fell with Australia at 5-200 in the 30th over, Henry Hunt, the captain, and allrounder Aaron Hardie put on a 60-run stand.

Image Id: E5F703BF1AD247A8B95D1C272A95A261 Image Caption: Aaron Hardie nursed the tail to reach a maiden List A fifty // Sri Lanka Cricket

Hunt departed for 40 and Hardie nursed the tail to bring up his maiden List A fifty before he was last man out chasing quick runs, to give Pramod Madushan, who has been called into the Sri Lanka ODI squad, his fourth wicket.

Niroshan Dickwella led the Sri Lanka A chase with 83 from 73 balls but the Australian outfit was again left to rue some sloppy fielding.

A half-dozen chances had gone begging in the first match, and a similar amount today, with three blown run out chances as well as two dropped catches, the most costly of which proved Head's reprieve of Ashen Bandara on 30 when a simple chance in the deep burst through the fingers and over the rope.

Image Id: 8B0732BAD8E04B8BB1E09A3A33524942 Image Caption: Ashen Bandara salutes his match-winning 73no // Sri Lanka Cricket

Bandara finished unbeaten on 73 from 67 balls while the finishing touches were applied by rising star Dunith Wellalage, Sri Lanka's skipper at this year's U19 World Cup, as he smashed Tanveer Sangha for a six then a four to secure the win.

The Aussies played three spinners, with Matt Kuhnemann the pick of the bunch with 3-43, while Tanveer Sangha claimed 2-72, with his wickets coming in successive balls.

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, 2022

Sri Lanka T20 squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan. Standby: Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade

June 7: Australia won by 10 wickets

June 8: Australia won by three wickets

June 11: Third T20, Kandy, 11.30pm AEST

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Niroshan Dickwella, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 14: First ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST

June 16: Second ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST

June 19: Third ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 21: Fourth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 24: Fifth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

Sri Lanka Test squad (provisional): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohamed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshitha Rasanjana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suminda Lakshan

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 29 - July 3: First Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

All Sri Lanka v Australia international fixtures will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports

Australia A fixtures

Australia A squad: Scott Boland, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee

Sri Lanka A one-day squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Udara, Lasith Croospulle, Oshada Fernando, Pabasara Waduge, Kamindu Mendis, Ashen Bandara, Janitha Liyanage, Sahan Arachchi, Pulina Tharanga, Dunith Wellalage, Dananjaya Lakshan, Shiran Fernando (will not play due to injury), Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Nishan Madushka, Ashen Daniel,Nisala Tharaka

June 8: Australia A won by seven wickets

June 10: Sri Lanka A won by four wickets

June 14-17: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota

June 21-24: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota